He was a trumpeter born in Denver, Colorado to a family where his brother Dan Kuehn is also a trumpeter. He studied at the Universities of Colorado and Arizona and at the Juilliard School of Music with the trumpeter William Vacchiano.
He performed as a concert soloist with US Army Field Band and in 1969 he became Principal Trumpet of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and remained in that position for 27 years until 1996.
Other orchestras and ensembles he performed with during the course of his career include Ann Arbor Symphony, Battle Creek Brass Band, Chicago Symphony Low Brass Ensemble, Detroit Chamber Winds, Galliard Brass Quintet, Michigan Chamber Brass, Michigan Opera Theatre Orchestra and in Spain with the Bilbao Symphony and Italy with the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino.
Recordings he performed on include as a featured artist on Musical Landscapes for Trumpet, From the Mountain Top and Virgil Thomson: Early and As Remembered along with Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago by the Chicago Symphony Low Brass Ensemble and Sacred Songs of Angels.
In the field of musical education he was a faculty member of SUNY University of Buffalo for 22 years.
After his retirement he delivered Meals on Wheels.
He died peacefully but unexpectedly from complications of illnesses in Atlanta, Georgia in 2017 when he was 75 years old.
Christmas Carols recordings by Chicago Symphony Low Brass Ensemble
Angels We Have Heard On High (Traditional/Chadwick/Barnes)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner
The First Nowell (Traditional/Anonymous)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner
Arranger – Luther Henderson
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Anonymous/Traditional)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner
Arranger – Luther Henderson
Here We Come A-Wassailing (Wassail Song) (Anonymous Middle Ages English)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner
Arranger – Luther Henderson
I Saw Three Ships (Traditional/Anonymous)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner
Arranger – Luther Henderson
In Dulci Jubilo (J.S. Bach version)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner
Jingle Bells (James Lord Pierpoint)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner
Joy to the World (Isaac Watts/Lowell Mason/Georg Frideric Handel)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner
Lo, How A Rose (Traditional Anonymous German)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner
O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fidelis)(John Francis Wade/Fred Oakeley)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner
O Holy Night (Adolphe Charles Adam)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner
O Little Town of Bethlehem (Phillips Brooks/Lewis Redner)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner
Arranged – Ralph Vaughan Williams
The Twelve Days of Christmas(Unknown English c18th century/Frederic Austin)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner
Sources:
- https://www.trumpetguild.org/content/itg-news/1319-in-memoriam-david-kuehn
- https://obits.mlive.com/us/obituaries/annarbor/name/david-kuehn-obituary?id=6776330
- https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/atlanta/name/david-kuehn-obituary?id=6902854
- https://www.allmusic.com/artist/david-kuehn-mn0002646924/credits
- https://www.discogs.com/artist/5047921-David-Kuehn-3?anv=David%20Kuehn%20(3)&filter_anv=1
- https://www.discogs.com/release/4806236-The-Chicago-Symphony-Low-Brass-Ensemble-Conducted-By-Barry-Faldner-Christmas-With-The-Symphony-Brass